Persepolis West (Fars, Iran): Report on the field work carried out by the Iranian-Italian Joint Archaeological Mission in 2008–2009

Product Description This book represents the final report on the field work carried out in 2008 and 2009 by the Iranian-Italian Joint Archaeological Mission at the archaeological site of Persepolis West, where parts of the town adjacent to the well-known Achaemenid monumental terrace of Persepolis have been located. The eleven trial trenches excavated in areas indicated by the results of Iranian and Iranian-French geophysical surveys represent the first stratigraphic excavations ever carried out on this site, the dating of which is supported by a rich series of radiocarbon datings. Illustration of the excavations is preceded by an accurate geophysical study of the topographical context and accompanied by a detailed and richly illustrated analysis of pottery and other finds: the safe stratigraphic context makes these finds a particularly important source of evidence for our knowledge of the ceramics of Fars during the historic pre-Islamic age. The excavations largely confirm the location of the built-up area of Parsa indicated by geophysical surveys. Review 'The methodology sections on ceramics and C14 analysis are very detailed and exact. ... [The excavations provide] a series of glimpses into the gardens and possibly built landscape surrounding Dur Parsa that is not found in such detail anywhere else. This book makes a vital contribution to the collection of knowledge on Persepolis.' Dr Tobin Hartnell, The American University of Iraq, Sulaimani'At a fundamental level, this is one of the most important publications on the archaeology of the heartland of the Achaemenid Empire of Iran to appear in the last 50 years.' Dr Cameron Petrie, Trinity College, Cambridge About the Author Alireza Askari Chaverdi and Pierfrancesco Callieri